The Phillies have placed embattled closer Brad Lidge on the disabled list.

Here is the statement from the team:

Righthander Brad Lidge was placed on the 15-day disabled list with a sprained right knee, retroactive to June 7, the Phillies announced today. To take his spot on the 25-man roster, the Phillies selected the contract of catcher Paul Bako from double-A Reading.

Lidge, 32, is 0-3 this season with 13 saves and a 7.27 ERA in 28 relief appearances. Opponents have hit .306 against him. In his last seven games, Lidge was 5-for-7 in save opportunities with a 1.42 ERA and a .182 opponents’ batting average.

Last year, Lidge finished fourth in National League Cy Young Award voting after going 2-0 with a 1.95 ERA and 41 saves in 41 opportunities. He began the 2008 season on the 15-day disabled list recovering from right knee surgery.

Bako, 36, signed a minor league contract with the Phillies on May 18 after going to spring training with the Chicago Cubs. In 10 games with Reading, he hit .357 (15-42) with a double and 10 RBI. Bako spent last season with the Cincinnati Reds and batted .217 with a career high six home runs and 35 RBI in 99 games. In parts of 11 major league seasons, he has a .231 career batting average with 21 home runs and 186 RBI in 745 games.

Bako is expected to be in uniform for tonight’s game at Citi Field and will wear #23.

Lidge has 13 saves in 19 chances, and has allowed 21 earned runs, including seven homeruns.

Ryan Madson is expected to fill in for Lidge as the team’s closer. He is 2-1 with an ERA of 2.22 in 28.1 innings this season.